


Cacoethes

by Pennstram



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Arthur just wants to sleep, Because he has no control over his life anymore, Domestic Fluff, In which Merlin is a manic pixie, M/M, Merlin impulsively dyes his hair, Modern Era, Uther Pendragon's A+ Parenting (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:27:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26426371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pennstram/pseuds/Pennstram
Summary: It wasn’t that Arthur wasn’t used to Merlin’s strange habits, this was just— a new development.“Why is your hair green?”
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 167





	Cacoethes

**Author's Note:**

> cac·o·e·thes  
> /ˌkakəˈwēT͟Hēz/  
> noun  
> an irresistible urge to do something inadvisable.

The sound of cursing was the first thing that really registered as Arthur’s consciousness slowly booted up. His brows were drawn together long before he blinked his eyes open. Then another colorful bout of cursing filtered through the bedroom door. Cracking one eye open he stared at the bedside clock as it came into focus. 3AM. 

Sighing, Arthur closed his eye again but pushed himself up. Well, whatever Merlin was up to didn’t sound like it could wait until a respectable time. He wandered out into the hallway, eyes narrowing at the sudden harsh light spilling from the bathroom. He pinched the bridge of his nose the second he pushed the door open. 

“What— on Earth are you doing?” Arthur forced out, gaze trailing over the various boxes and bottles spread across the sink counter. Unhappily noting the bright smear of green he’ll no doubt be attempting to get out of the marble. Finally they came to rest on Merlin slumped on the floor. 

His boyfriend was staring at his own dye stained hands and didn’t say anything for the longest time. With another deep sigh Arthur shuffled into the bathroom, kicking an empty box of hair dye out of the way in the process. Plopping himself down next to Merlin, Arthur took a moment to just look. It wasn’t that he wasn’t used to Merlin’s strange habits, this was just— a new development. 

“Why is your hair green?” He tried again to get a reply, but Merlin only buried his face in his knees as he drew his legs up to his chest. He shook his head, damp green curls shaking with the movement. Arthur reached out a hand and brushed a stray strand back behind Merlin’s ear before he let his hand drop to rest against his neck. “You wanna tell me what’s wrong?” 

Merlin made an almost pained whine as he let his legs slip down to rest flat against the tile floor, and his head fell back to hit the wall. “I just needed something I could control. It’s all just one of my many stupid quirks, don’t you know.” Arthur frowned at that. Usually the other man’s quirks weren’t so— destructive? That didn’t feel like the right word— abrupt maybe. What in the world could have caused— oh. Right. 

Beside him Merlin tensed, as if he too realized the second Arthur figured it out. “Is this about what my father said?” The resounding silence was enough to make Arthur’s blood boil. In that moment he truly hated his father. Hated how he treated Merlin and their relationship. Hated how he couldn’t keep his thoughts to himself. Hated how his words so easily got under Merlin’s skin.

“Look, Merls, what Uther said doesn’t matter. You’re bloody fantastic just the way you are.” Arthur nudged him lightly with his shoulder and was pleased when a small smile appeared. “It isn’t that he _can’t_ see your value, it’s that he doesn’t _want_ to. All he wants to see is a poor gangly gold digging boy from Wales. He doesn’t want to see what I see because he knows it’ll change all his beliefs.” 

“And what is it that you see?” Merlin asked in a small barely there whisper, his eyes darting from the ceiling to Arthur without him moving his head. He looked tentative, almost scared of what his boyfriend would say. The look wrapped itself around Arthur’s heart and squeezed. He looked so defeated. So unlike the vibrant enigma Arthur first met and fell for. 

Picking up one of the dye stained hands Arthur played with his fingers as he thought. He ran his own over them, drawing shapes over the back of his hand and around to the palm. How was he to put it into words? No words seemed good enough, right enough. “I see something too big for one body to contain.” He decided finally. “I see a man who has more courage than common sense. I see an artist, a musician, an actor. I see stardust and magic and wonder.”

Merlin’s fingers curled tightly over Arthur’s as they trailed over his palm again. Arthur smiled softly and let them twine together. “Right now? I see this manic idiot keeping their boyfriend up by aggressively trying to dye their hair at 3 in the morning.” It was a tease and they both knew it, but the effect was still immediate as the tension melted from Merlin’s shoulders. “Seriously though,” Arthur started, seriousness stealing over his features again, “My father doesn’t know you like I do. You are not a waste of space. Or time or energy or any other stupid thing he could say. I don’t care that you’re not from some wealthy or politically affiliated family.” 

There was a beat of silence where they both leaned their heads back, eyes closed. Then Arthur continued, voice all warmth and affection, “I quite like you as you are thank you very much. Little quirks and all. Life isn’t always about social standing and money.” As he opened his eyes he caught Merlin’s and smiled. Bringing their joined hands up to his lips he continued, breath ghosting over the soft skin on the back of Merlin’s hand, “Life’s about a silly artist spilling paint water on a $300 suit. Life’s about a workaholic playing hooky to stay in bed when their partner is sick. Life’s about finding the one who completes you so thoroughly you forget what it felt like to not be loved.”

He pressed his lips to Merlin’s hand for a long moment before he pulled it away to rest on his leg. “Life is sitting in the bathroom at 3 in the morning, trying to find a way to explain why the sky is blue. About trying to explain why your heart is so full of love for one person.” He turned to level Merlin a hard look before finishing his statement. “It just is.” 

Tears were welling up in Merlin’s eyes and Arthur could see the dam starting to break even before the sob was choked back. He let go of Merlin’s hand to wrap both arms around him in a tight hug that finally broke the careful composure. He let Merlin sob into his chest and pressed gentle kisses to the crown of his (still very damp, very green) head. “‘M being stupid.” Merlin mumbled once the tears had slowed to sparse hiccups. 

Arthur hid his fond grin in the hair behind Merlin’s ear. “Nah, it’s just another one of those quirks of yours, remember?” Merlin let out a short puff of air that may have been a laugh had his throat not still been choked with tears. It was another moment of them sitting there, content to be tangled together on the bathroom floor. Arthur had just closed his eyes again, breathing in the sharp smell of hair dye and faint smell of Merlin’s lavender shampoo.

When of course Merlin had to ruin it. “Can we actually take this cuddle session back to bed? Or at least the couch?” He muttered, shifting slightly, “Now that I’m not in a manic frenzy the bathroom floor isn’t actually all that comfortable.” Arthur let out a snort of laughter and shook his head, nose brushing Merlin’s hair back and forth. 

Pulling away he got to his feet with a small groan, limbs clearly unhappy about being folded on the floor for so long. Merlin made a similar pained noise as he stretched his arms out before taking the hand Arthur had extended to him. “You stain my silk pillow cases green, Wyllt, and you’re sleeping on the couch for a month.” 

Merlin grinned cheekily at him as he flipped off the bathroom light and followed Arthur back to their room. It was an empty threat and they both knew it.

**Author's Note:**

> On a side note: This is all based on my own experiences dealing with my boyfriend's bouts of mania which, like Merlin here, they will impulsively dye their hair when the feelings hit. I didn't really dive into the angsty side of the episodes since I was trying to keep things lighter. <3


End file.
